Police cite York County judge who left crash scene

Police have filed three summary traffic citations against York County Common Pleas Judge Thomas H. Kelley VI after he crashed his car and failed to notify police.

On Thursday afternoon, York Area Regional Police filed citations of careless driving, accidents involving damage to unattended property and failure to notify police after causing an accident, according to online court records.

It happened about 9:40 p.m. Saturday on Nightlight Drive in York Township, according to Sgt. Jeff Dunbar.

Kelley's Mercedes struck and damaged a fire hydrant, the sergeant said; the damage did not cause water to leak from the hydrant.

The judge left the scene and did not call police, Dunbar said.

Police found debris from Kelley's car at the scene, he said.

The next day, officers returned to search again in the daylight and found more car debris at the end of Kelley's driveway, according to Dunbar.

The judge lives in the neighborhood where the accident happened.

An officer asked the judge if he'd been involved in a crash, and Kelley confirmed he had, Dunbar said.

The judge then showed the officer the damage on his car, the sergeant said.

Attorney Chris Ferro, speaking on Kelley's behalf, said the judge will be happy to pay his fines.

"It's a simple misunderstanding as to the technical requirements of the motor-vehicle statute," he said.

Kelley, 50, called his insurance company about the matter but never had the opportunity to call police because they contacted him first, Ferro said.

The judge has been "completely cooperative and forthcoming" with police, Ferro said.